Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink outfit donned by the pop star. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and responding accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the attack dominated, advantage when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team protected him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
